 |
| Godfrey Kurauone |
….fears colon cancer
poisoning
…as warrant of arrest
hangs overhead
TellZim Reporter
MDC Alliance national
youth organising secretary Godfrey Kurauone has left the country for an unknown
destination where he is receiving medical treatment following his lengthy
incarceration at Masvingo Remand Prison.
Kurauone spent 42 days
in remand prison on allegations of participating in the abortive July 31
demonstrations by blocking a road in Mashava, with many attempts to secure bail
failing.
TellZim News managed to
get in touch with Kurauone, who is also the councillor for Masvingo Urban Ward
4, but he refused to provide his exact location ‘for safety reasons’.
“I am out of the
country to seek specialist medical attention following my protracted detention
in the remand prison. I was advised that the kind of attention I need could be
easier obtained outside the country. As you know, I had abdominal pain problems
even before I went to prison and I am taking all the precautions in case
somebody took advantage of that situation and pulled a Patson on me,” said
Kurauone.
He was referring to
fellow MDC Alliance activist Patson Dzamara who died of colon cancer in August,
with many in the party, including party president Nelson Chamisa alleging that
he was poisoned the same way that former party leader Morgan Tsvangirai was allegedly
poisoned by state actors.
Chamisa also suggested
that the party’s Glenview North Member of Parliament (MP) Kennedy Dinar, who
died on November 05, was the latest victim of poisoning by state actors.
Kurauone said he will
be back in the country to face his legal troubles including a warrant of arrest
issued against him when he failed to appear in court on October 26 to answer to
charges of undermining the authority of the President.
“I could not attend the
court session due to health problems but I will be ready to come back and face
it all. I am by no mean a fugitive from justice because I will be coming back
home soon. I have already undergone a lot of medical tests and I am currently
waiting for results,” Kurauone said.
Kurauone, who maintains
that he is innocent, claiming he is being targeted for his vocal opposition political
activism, said he underwent blood tests, lever examination, heart and kidney
tests as well as a full-body scan.
He said he will
continue to fight for the rights of citizens with the limitations provided for by
the law.
Kurauone was arrested
on July 31 and was released from remand prison on September 10 after being
acquitted on charges of blocking the free movement of traffic along the road to
Zvamahande in Mashava.
Before his acquittal, the
State had dropped a charge of criminal nuisance which Kurauone also faced.
July 31 was the day
that Transform Zimbabwe (TZ) Jacob Ngarivhume called for nationwide shutdown
protests against the deteriorating economic, political and human rights
situation in the country.
The protests did not
succeed as government implemented a severe lockdown of all cities and towns,
with Ngarivhume himself being arrested in the days before July 31.
